The Space Shuttle Discovery has successfully taken off from Cape Canaveral for an ambitious construction mission to the International Space Station. Its main task will be to install the main body of the Japanese scientific lab named Kibo (which means "hope"). It will be among the largest and heaviest payloads ever to fly on the Shuttle.
Kibo is the main Japanese contribution to the ISS. Installation of the Kibo lab was begun in March, when the Endeavour delivered the first portion of it to the ISS. Following the Discovery mission, the Kibo lab will be completed when the Endeavour delivers the remaining elements next spring. When completed, it will the largest single module at the ISS and will represent a significant enhancement of the station's scientific capacity.
Among the other items on the mission's to-do list is the installation of a replacement part for the ISS toilet, which has malfunctioned. A broken toilet may not sound like much of a big deal, but it certainly is when you're living in a space station.
Among the many people who flew to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch was Congressman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), a strong supporter of the space program. This particular mission has a personal angle for her, as the Discovery's commander, astronaut Mark Kelly, happens to be her husband. A few other politicians were also on hand for the launch.
